Creating Momentum Out of Life's Most Difficult Moments | Dan Cnossen | TEDxNorthwesternU

NOTE FROM TED: This talk contains a discussion of violence and warfare. Some viewers may find elements of this talk to be distressing or objectionable. TEDx events are independently organized by volunteers. The guidelines we give TEDx organizers are described in more detail here: storage.ted.com...
Having lost his legs to an IED while serving as a Navy SEAL in Afghanistan, Dan Cnossen’s life was instantly stripped of any momentum. While mass x velocity is the well-known formula for momentum, in this remarkable talk, Dan reinvents the true formula for creating life-changing momentum in the face of any adversity. Raised on the farmlands of Kansas, early on Dan knew he wanted to serve his country. He was accepted at the U.S. Naval Academy after high school and spent the next four years relentlessly pursuing selection for SEAL training. Dan was deployed multiple times to Iraq and Afghanistan, and became the officer-in-charge of an 18-man SEAL platoon. In 2009, Dan was deployed to Afghanistan where, on a night mission in the mountains, he stepped on an IED, losing both legs in the blast. He would later be awarded a Purple Heart and Bronze Star with Valor. For the next two years Dan fought for his life, enduring over 40 different surgeries. It was during this time that he was introduced to the sports of cross-country skiing and biathlon. He earned a spot on the 2014 U.S. Paralympic Team. In 2015, Dan returned to graduate school, earning two degrees from Harvard University. At the 2022 Paralympic Games Dan won gold for mixed relay cross-country, and in 2018, he won Best Male Athlete of The Games. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at www.ted.com/tedx